London mayor stops endorsing Eco-certified stoves

The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has withdrawn his support of “Eco” certified wood stoves.

Mayor Khan endorsed Ecodesign stoves in 2018, encouraging the switch from open fires and older stoves to newer certified wood stoves. According to an article in The Guardian‍, he said at the time that Londoners could make a difference by using the “right kit.”

The mayor’s endorsement and the government’s clean air strategy was used then to promote sales of newer wood-burning stoves. But the mayor has now reversed his position.

According to The Guardian:

A spokesperson for the mayor said: ‘The mayor has made it one of his top priorities to tackle the twin dangers of London’s air pollution and the climate crisis.

‘Due to the increasing evidence of the harmful impacts of air pollution, including from wood-burning, the mayor no longer endorses Ecodesign wood-burning stoves or any other form of solid fuel burning.’